The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has directed its members nationwide to reduce petroleum pump price from N145 per litre to N140.

This was announced in a statement signed by the National President of the association, Chinedu Okworonkwo, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano on Sunday.

The statement was issued through the Chairman, IPMAN Kano state chapter, Bashir Dan-Malam.

Mr Okworonkwo said the marketers were expected to comply with the directive from February 20 to February 25.

He said the decision followed Saturday’s last-minute postponement of presidential and National Assembly elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

According to him, Nigerians travelled to different places across the country to cast their votes. But to their dismay, the election was shifted to February 23.

“IPMAN was prompted to slash N5 from the N145 per litre official Petroleum pump price in a bid to motivate Nigerians to return to vote again on February 23.

“We urge all our members across Nigeria to immediately reduce the fuel pump price from N145 per litre to N140 per litre.

“This is because of the political situation that hit the country after INEC suddenly announced the postponement of presidential and National Assembly elections after Nigerians were fully prepared.

“We are all aware how Nigerians travelled to different parts of the country in order to exercise their civic duty; unfortunately, they heard a sad news of postponement of the polls,” Mr Okworonkwo said.

He said, “This made us deem it fit to reduce the pump price in order to ease their suffering, and to also motivate them to travel again to exercise their franchise on Feb. 23.”

He, therefore, urged his members nationwide to immediately comply with the directive to enable Nigerians to travel to exercise their civic responsibility.

Mr Okworonkwo maintained that IPMAN’s decision followed President Muhammadu Buhari’s concern over the election postponement.

“We decided to express our concern over the postponement, as President Buhari expressed concern over the development.

“As Buhari apologised to Nigerians to show restraint and return to polling units on Feb. 23, IPMAN also calls on the citizens to exercise patience and come out en masse to cast their votes on the rescheduled date,” Mr Okworonkwo said.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of IPMAN in Kano State and the North-west zonal chairman, Bashir Dan-Malam and Bashir Salisu-Tahir, have urged their members to ensure strict compliance with the directive.

(NAN)